60 Labor Day Recipes That Will End Summer on a Delicious Note

1. White Sangria with Peaches and Berries

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6 to 8

No one likes a diluted summer cocktail. That’s why I recommend freezing fresh peaches and raspberries to use in place of ice cubes for this summer sangria.

• Time Commitment: 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: <15 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 1

There’s nothing wrong with a basic marg, but it’s fun to switch things up. Use any pilsner-style beer you like; just don’t skip the lime wedge garnish.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <15 minutes, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 1

Want to take a break from the rosé? This festive take on the classic summer bev is one part boozy, two parts refreshing and 100 percent about to be your new favorite drink.

4. Boozy Lemonade Granita

• Time Commitment: 6 hours
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, no cook, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 10 to 12

Aren’t you glad you’re one of the grown-ups? Spike this frosty take on summer's official drink with vodka, gin or tequila.

5. Grilled Watermelon-Feta Skewers

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, vegetarian, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Sweet, juicy watermelon and tangy, salty feta are a match made in barbecue heaven. Plus, summer salad just tastes better on a stick.

6. Cauliflower ‘Potato’ Salad

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
• Serves: 6

Cauli florets take the place of the usual spuds in this low-carb take on potato salad. Mayo can sit this one out too; Greek yogurt and sour cream have it covered.

7. Skillet Blueberry Cornbread

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 12

Wonder what to serve with pulled pork? Meet the summertime staple’s new best friend. They’ll get to meet atop your patio table in just 40 short minutes.

8. Jalapeño-Avocado Mac and Cheese

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pot, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
• Serves: 4

And you thought your go-to comfort food recipe couldn’t get any better. Bring on the pickled jalapeños, green chiles and all the white cheddar.

9. Grilled Corn with Spicy Aioli

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6

No barbecue menu is complete without a few charred ears of fresh corn. This simple spicy aioli (instead of the typical butter and salt) will put them over the top.

10. Grilled Peach and Halloumi Salad with Lemon-Pesto Dressing

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 4

Well, aren’t you fancy? Bet you never thought salad would be the star of your picnic spread. Chalk it up to the charred grilled peaches.

11. Chilled Cucumber Salad

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 35 minutes (including marinating time)
• Why I Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, vegan, one bowl
• Serves: 6

Leave lettuce behind for a cucumber recipe that’s ten times more refreshing, especially after a few sunny rounds of cornhole.

12. Light and Tangy Coleslaw

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, one bowl, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
• Serves: 6

Behold the quintessential summer side. Whether you pile it high on a pulled pork sandwich or eat it straight out of the fridge, you can’t go wrong.

13. Loaded Baked Potato Chips

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, one pan, sheet pan recipe, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6 to 8

Wouldn’t it be cool if potato chips and nachos had a delicious baby? You can make it happen—and it’s amazing.

14. Slow Cooker Baked Beans

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, one pot
• Serves: 6 to 8

These beat the canned kind by a mile. Think chopped bacon, ketchup and dark brown sugar for smoky sweetness, plus apple cider vinegar for a little zing.

15. Grilled Parmesan Garlic Asparagus

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4

Say cheese: Five-ingredient vegetable sides always make me smile, but my favorites are teeming with salty Parmesan.

16. Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, one bowl, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 8

Your two favorite green veggies, together at last. Shredding the sprouts is easier than you think, I promise.

17. Grilled Zucchini Caprese Salad

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
• Serves: 4

I’ll never get tired of the O.G. caprese salad, but thin slices of charred summer zucchini are a total game changer.

18. Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

• Time Commitment: 7 hours and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, high protein, crowd-pleaser, one pot
• Serves: 6

Not only is this recipe pretty hands-off, it’s also super versatile. Serve the meat in tacos, over salad or on a brioche bun.

19. Salmon Burgers

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan, high protein
• Serves: 4

If you have beef with red meat (ha), salmon is here to save the day. The patties are seasoned with a mix of garlic, green onions, lemon, dill and Old Bay.

20. Honey-Lime Chicken and Veggies in Foil

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, high protein, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Maximum flavor, minimal cleanup. Just pop each foil packet on the grill and your work is done.

21. Grilled Flatbread Pizza with Artichoke, Ricotta and Lemon

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

Sorry, pizza stone. When it comes to summer pizza, that’s a job for the barbecue. I’ll take extra crushed red pepper flakes on my slice, please.

22. Avocado Chicken Salad

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, high protein, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 4 to 6

Sliced grapes and copious amounts of of mayo? Yawn. Upgrade to avocado, rice vinegar, fresh dill and lemon juice. The store-bought rotisserie chicken will be our little secret.

23. Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread with Tomatoes and Scallions

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 10

This crisp, tender cornbread topped with summer's bounty pairs beautifully with everything from pulled pork to ribs to burgers. That said, it's also hearty enough to stand as a meal on its own.

24. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

• Time Commitment: 7 hours, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, one pot, high protein, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

Bun or no bun, this Crockpot classic is an easy win. But I like it best on a sandwich with lots of crispy coleslaw.

25. Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Just the ticket for an alfresco family dinner. A drizzle of sour cream or avocado crema will take the tingly edge off the shrimp, if you’re sensitive to spice.

26. Grilled Flank Steak With Lemon-herb Sauce

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, high protein, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Don’t let grilling meat (especially steak) intimidate you. All it takes is a killer marinade, five to seven minutes of browning per side and a 15-minute rest before serving.

27. Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with Barbecue Sauce

• Time Commitment: 10 hours, 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipes, high protein, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 8 to 10

The trick to drool-worthy brisket? Popping it on the grill or under the broiler to caramelize the outer crust before serving.

28. Roasted Cauliflower Sliders

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 12

Vegetarians rejoice. You can still sink your teeth into a stick-to-your-ribs main (thanks, cauliflower), and it’s slathered in sriracha yogurt for good measure.

29. Grilled Peach, Chicken and Ricotta Pizza

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

No one’s passing on a slice fresh off the barbecue. I’m betting it tastes just as good eaten cold the next morning too...just sayin'.

30. Sweet-and-Sour Pork Skewers with Pineapple

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

Any reason to put pineapple on the grill, right? There’s pineapple juice in the glaze, too, along with soy sauce, rice vinegar and sriracha.

31. Greek Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

Don’t look now, but the ground beef in your fridge is getting jealous. There's no need to be shy with the homemade yogurt sauce (but you already knew that).

32. Bacon Cheddar Cheese-Stuffed Burgers

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, high protein, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

With chopped bacon, shredded cheddar and Worcestershire sauce in the patty mix, these handhelds are beyond juicy and flavorful.

33. Crispy Baked Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 4

Sorry, messy frying—not today. Top the tilapia with fresh slaw, sour cream and lots of lime juice. (A margarita on the side wouldn't hurt, either.)

34. Grilled Asian-Inspired Garlic Steak Skewers

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Once you have this recipe is in your back pocket, you’ll save a fortune on takeout. Finish the skewers with sesame seeds and sliced scallions.

35. Baked Sesame-Ginger Salmon in Parchment

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 4

She’s light, she’s healthy, but most importantly, she only takes 30 minutes to make. Bake it in the oven or trade parchment for foil and upgrade to the grill.

36. Chicken Tinga Tacos

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 10 to 12

You take care of the roasted tomato-chipotle chicken, I’ll bring the margaritas (and guacamole). Thanks to a store-bought rotisserie bird, you'll only need 30 minutes to prepare it.

37. Tender Oven-Baked Ribs

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 6

Homemade dry rub *and* sauce—who's a grill profesh now? I’d make a double batch of the three-ingredient barbecue sauce for using on burgers, chicken, salmon or tofu.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
• Serves: 4

When the produce is at its peak, you don’t need a ton of cream or cheese to make a delicious summer pasta recipe. I’ll always make an exception for burrata, though.

39. Grilled Honey-Sriracha Chicken Drumsticks with Fennel-Cabbage Slaw

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

Wings? I don't know her. Drumsticks hold their own against the grill with ease, resulting in a crispy, juicy piece of chicken every damn time. Douse it in the sticky, spicy glaze and you've made magic.

40. Rodney Scott’s Honey-Butter Fish

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 4 to 6

This seafood recipe has the steaks and chops at the barbecue shaking in their boots. The dreamy honey butter topping and bold rib rub are to blame.

41. Seared Scallops With Citrus-Shallot Salad

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 4

Say it with me: I can cook scallops at home. The dish takes only 20 minutes from start to finish, and all the scallops need is a few minutes of searing per side. Just be sure to pat them as dry as possible before plopping them in the pan.

42. Tomato and Yellow Zucchini Risotto

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegan
• Serves: 4

In case you needed yet another excuse to raid your local farmers market. This decadent (and vegan!) dish puts the best flavors of the season front and center, including yellow and green zucchini, plum tomatoes and red onion.

43. Shrimp Boil Skewers with Corn, Sausage and Potatoes

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, high protein
• Serves: 6

Looking for a break from burgers and dogs? Enter the most low-maintenance, mess-free main you’ve ever made. Serve it on a newspaper-lined picnic table for minimal cleanup.

44. Peaches and Cream Ice Pops

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 8

Roasted peach puree transforms into marbled magic when it meets swirls of sweet Greek yogurt in these crowd-pleasing ice pops.

45. Lemon-Berry Sheet Pan Trifle

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

There’s nothing a sheet pan can’t do, but my favorite trick is light-as-air meringue topped with summer fruit and fresh whipped cream.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 4

Stuff graham crackers with the usual chocolate and marshmallows, then add blueberry jam and peanut butter before broiling until ooey-gooey. And the s’mores-loving crowd goes wild!

47. Grilled Pineapple With Coconut Whipped Cream

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, gluten free
• Serves: 6

For everyone who thinks their diet takes dessert off the table. Garnish the smoky pineapple pieces with toasted hazelnuts and fresh mint.

48. Fresh Fruit Ice Pops

• Time Commitment: 3 hours
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, make ahead, kid friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: makes 8 to 10

See ya, artificial flavors and dyes. These pops are the real deal and totally customizable (though I’m partial to using peaches, raspberries and blueberries).

49. Honey-Peach Semifreddo

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 20 minutes (includes freezing time)
• Why I Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 8

Picture digging into a luscious, ice cream-like mix of heavy cream, egg yolks, peach jam and diced peaches. (With a glass of prosecco, of course.)

50. Fourth of July Ice Cream Cake

• Time Commitment: 4 hours (includes freezing time)
• Why I Love It: no cook, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 10

Labor Day is a patriotic holiday, but I’d be lying if I said I needed an excuse to eat cake (especially one made with three types of ice cream and sorbet).

51. Broiler S’mores

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 15

Forget about rounding up a million skewers so everyone can toast their own marshmallows. Try this once and you'll change backyard bonfires at your place forever.

52. Strawberry-Mango Hawaiian Shave Ice

• Time Commitment: 5 hours, 30 minutes (includes freezing time)
• Why I Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, no cook, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

A trip to Maui is only 30 minutes of prep and a stint in the freezer away. It tastes even better from inside a massive pool float, if you ask us.

53. No-Bake Berry Tiramisu

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: no bake, crowd-pleaser, one pan, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 10

Red, white and wow. It doesn’t get any simpler than store-bought ladyfingers, raspberry jam and fresh fruit.

54. Tiny Coconut Cookies with Hibiscus Glaze

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 36

C’mon, aren’t they just the cutest? Believe it or not, the vibrant glaze doesn’t contain a single drop of food coloring, but instead, tart hibiscus tea concentrate.

55. Easiest-Ever Blueberry Biscuit Cobbler

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, one pan, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 10

The three best things about summer: 1) beach days, 2) bonfires and 3) in-season berries. Blueberries star in this decadent skillet dessert that boasts an impossibly fluffy biscuit topping. (I won't tell if you substitute store-bought biscuit dough, though.)

56. Mini Key Lime Pies

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
• Serves: 16

Here at PureWow, and teeny-tiny desserts are our love language. Don't let their size fool you: The pie filling is bursting with flavor, courtesy of fresh lime juice and sweetened condensed milk.

57. Strawberry Galette with Whipped Cream

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Three delicious secrets are hiding inside this flaky strawberry-filled wonder. Zingy balsamic vinegar brightens up the fruit filling, while rosemary in the crust and sour cream in the whipped cream add additional nuance and tang.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: skillet recipe, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8

If you’re intimidated by pie, try this version of a galette.You don’t have to make pie dough; just crinkle puff-pastry dough into a skillet, pile on the fresh fruit and your dessert is ready in less than an hour.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours, 35 minutes (includes chilling time)
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 8

This is a modern riff on the vintage Jell-O and pretzel-based strawberry “delight,” but with ice cream in place of the typical jiggly filling. Sticking with tradition, it calls for less than ten ingredients and minimal baking.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes (plus chilling)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 8

This bright, tart and just-salty-enough pie is like a cross between key lime and lemon meringue—with a crispy saltine crust. The filling is just four ingredients, so it’s basically foolproof.